Theng demands government clarify position after rejecting multiple bills, questions who has authority over legislation
Prachathai party leader Nattapong Ruangpanya questioned the government's authority to reject multiple bills during parliament's first joint session, demanding clarification on why environmental protection, labor, and constitutional amendmen
At 9:30 AM on May 15, 2025, at parliament during the first joint parliamentary session chaired by Sophan Saram, parliament speaker, an urgent agenda item addressed approval to consider draft laws not yet endorsed by parliament under Article 147, second paragraph of the constitution. Nattapong Ruangpanya, Prachathai party list MP and party leader, noted appreciation for the cabinet's decision to return 34 bills for parliament to consider which to advance. However, he questioned the government's criteria for deciding which bills to return and which to reject, requesting clear explanation for rejecting environmental protection laws, the PRTR law, factory act drafts, land amnesty legislation, labor protection bills, and military court constitutional amendments.
Nattapong challenged the government on whether legislative authority belongs to the cabinet or parliament, questioning whether the cabinet can decide on behalf of MPs. He then posed a counterargument: if using the same logic applied to the rejected constitutional amendment draft—claiming it would fail regardless—how can the government guarantee all 34 bills will pass parliament? He suggested the government must have already secured approval through back-channel negotiations with both chambers.
Nattapong concluded by requesting government response rather than legal technical explanations, asking what criteria the cabinet uses to select which bills to return, and whether the nation's constitutional framework has become merely a tool granting power to the government and military-aligned system.
